1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the generation of game characters in a video game, and more particularly, to the generation of game characters in a video game such that a contest or competition is performed between game characters each of which is generated by referencing a plurality of character data.
2. Description of the Related Art
A wide variety of proposals have been offered about video game programs which provide video games implemented between a plurality of game characters in a competitive manner. Such games are known as competitive play or competitive mode games, or the like. The game characters take part in a video game as a representation of the players who are actually playing the video game, and they compete with the other game characters. Here, if human players determine the actions of the respective game characters participating in the contest, then a human vs. human contest is executed. On the other hand, there are also the cases where a contest is implemented between game characters whose actions are determined by the video game program, and the other game characters whose actions are determined by a human player. Hereinafter, game characters whose actions are determined by a human are called xe2x80x9cplayer charactersxe2x80x9d, and game characters whose actions are determined by the video game program are called xe2x80x9cCPU charactersxe2x80x9d.
In general, a video game program of this kind handles game characters by preparing respectively independent character data for each game character participating in the competition. For example, in a human vs. human contest, each player previously creates character data for his or her own player character, and each player provides his or her own character data in order to play a game. In the cases where the game characters taking part in the contest also include CPU characters, if the player has not been able to prepare his or her own character data, then character data previously prepared in conjunction with the video game program is used.
If a game character is generated using previously prepared character data in this way, then this data is selected from a plurality of character data items. This data may be selected, for example, in a manner such that a list of character data is displayed and the player selects the data him or herself. Alternatively, the data may be determined randomly. However, the above-mentioned manners are problematic in that they afford little variation.
Moreover, these manners are also problematic in that either is liable to become monotonous or boring. In particular, in a video game of a competitive type, selecting character data means selecting an opponent character. It is desirable that the player is caused to feel a certain degree of tension. But, in the conventional methods described above, it is difficult to maintain a level of psychological tension in the player, and consequently, the player may become bored with the game in a short period of time.
The present invention was devised in consideration of the foregoing problems. Specifically, an object of the present invention is to provide a game character generating method which enhances the diversity of character data selection methods.
Moreover, a further object of the present invention is to provide a game character generating method whereby a feeling of tension can be imparted to the player actually creating the game characters.
In order to achieve the aforementioned objects, the present invention provides a game character generation method, a computer-readable storage medium and a video game device as described below.
The present invention provides a game character generation method of generating a game character in accordance with a video game program stored in a first storage device of a video game device. The method comprises the steps of: preparing a data set generated by an additional video game program different from the video game program; and generating the game character by referencing the data set.
The game character generation method may further comprise the step of judging whether a second storage device, which is detachable from the video game device, is attached to the video game device or not. In this case, the game character generating step generates a predetermined game character stored in the first storage device if the second storage device is detached from the video game device.
When the game character generation method comprises the judging step, the method may further comprises the step of storing, prior to the game character generating step, the data set which serves to generate the predetermined game character and which is stored in the first storage device.
When the game character generation method comprises the judging step, and the second storage device is classified into a plurality of species, the method may further comprise the steps of: further preparing at least one additional data set generated by an additional video game program different from the video game program; detecting the species of the second storage device attached to the video game device; and selecting one of the data set and the additional data set stored in the first storage device according to the detected species. In this case, the game character generating step generates the game character by referencing the selected data set.
In this method, the video game device may comprise a second storage device which is detachable from the video game device. In this case, the game character generating step generates the game character by referencing the data set stored in the second storage device by the additional video game program. Instead of referencing the data set, the file name of the data set may be referred.
For example, the video game program is of a competitive type between a plurality of the game characters. In this case, at least one game character of the plurality of game characters participating in a competition may be generated by the video game program. Furthermore, the data set may define cards possessed by the game character.
Moreover, the present invention provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a video game program executed by a video game device which comprises a first storage device for installing the storage medium. The video game program comprises the steps of: preparing a data set generated by an additional video game program different from the video game program; and generating the game character by referencing the data set.
The video game program may further comprises the step of judging whether a second storage device, which is detachable from the video game device, is attached to the video game device or not. In this case, the game character generating step generates a predetermined game character stored in the first storage device if the second storage device is detached from the video game device.
The storage medium may further store the data set which serves to generate the predetermined game character and which is stored in the first storage device. In this case, when the second storage device is classified into a plurality of species, the video game program may further comprises the steps of: further preparing at least one additional data set generated by an additional video game program different from the video game program; detecting the species of the second storage device attached to the video game device; and selecting one of the data set and the additional data set stored in the first storage device according to the detected species; wherein the game character generating step generates the game character by referencing the selected data set.
The video game device may comprise a second storage device which is detachable from the video game device. In this case, the game character generating step may generate the game character by referencing the data set stored in the second storage device by the additional video game program. Instead of the data set itself, its file name may be referred.
The video game program may be of a competitive type between a plurality of the game characters. In this case, for example, at least one game character of the plurality of game characters participating in a competition is generated by the video game program.
The video game program may be for performing a competitive type card game. In this case, the data set defines cards possessed by the game character.
According to the present invention, a video game device performing a plurality of video game programs is provided. The video game device comprises: a storage device for storing user data sets each of which is generated by one of the video game programs; another storage device for storing a data set generated by another one of the video game programs; and accessing means for accessing the storage device and another storage device in accordance with the one of the video game programs to generate a game character with reference to the data set stored in another storage device.